How to turn one USB port into four (or more)
Q: My computer only has two USB ports but I have three USB devices I need to connect to it. I’m constantly plugging and unplugging cables. Is there a better way?
A: This is a common problem with PCs that are more than a couple of years old. With the increase in the number of devices requiring a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection to a computer, most new computers are equipped with seven or eight USB ports. But I’m guessing that recommending buying a new computer isn’t what you want to hear from me.
A much easier, and cheaper, alternative would be to purchase a USB hub. A USB hub plugs into one of your USB ports on your computer and then provides several more USB ports that can be used to plug in all of your USB devices. So you can take one USB port and turn it into eight.
A couple of things you will want to consider. First, make sure you get a USB 2.0 hub. Most USB devices sold today are USB 2.0 but you may still find some USB 1.1 devices floating around at bargain basement prices. There’s a reason for that. USB 1.1 is much, much slower than its newer 2.0 counterpart. I should note, however, that if your computer has USB 1.1 ports it won’t do you any good to get a USB 2.0 hub, unless you want to plan ahead for your next computer.
Also, most USB hubs can leverage the power from your PC, eliminating the need for a separate power supply for the hub. However, if you plan on attaching several power hungry components to the USB hub, you may want to restrict your search to USB hubs that come with an external power supply. It will save you a lot of headaches down the road.
This post was originally broadcast Friday, October 12, 2007 on Tech Talk with Noobie, a weekly radio show on WCBK 102.3 FM in Martinsville, Indiana. Tech Talk with Noobie airs every Friday between 11:30 a.m. and noon. If you have a question you would like Noobie to answer on the air, simply e-mail your question to [email protected].
